Jaxn
by Jakoby
Summary: Jaxn, a street urchin living in the streets of Haven
1. Jaxn

Jaxn  
  
It was late in the afternoon as Jaxn trudged down a dusty street searching for food. He stopped as an alley cat trotted across his path with a fish in its mouth. Jaxn's mouth began to water as he tried to creep up on the animal. But just as he was close enough to grab it the cat turned its head and stared him in the eye before running off down the street. Jaxn swore and gave chase. He drew near to the cat and threw himself onto the animal. The cat slashed at his face with it's fore paw leaving his face marked with four long gashes that began to bleed. As he cried out and put his hands to his face the cat raced off down the street. Jaxn sank to his knees and pounded the ground with his fist. In the distance he heard the sound of thunder and overhead rain began to pour from the sky turning the dust in the street into mud. Jaxn crawled into a doorway, drew up his knees, and began to cry.  
The next day, Jaxn decided to go into the centre of the city to search for food. As he travelled the buildings around him began to look older and older as he went further and further into the heart of the city. Suddenly he saw a large bin down the side of a house that a servant was emptying the scraps form the morning meal. Jaxn hid himself behind a small fence, and as soon as the servant went back into the house he raced over and began digging out the precious scraps of food. Just then the servant came back out to empty more rubbish into the bins. He picked Jaxn up by the scruff of his neck  
"What do you think you're doing you little urchin?"  
Jaxn struggled in the mans grip but couldn't get free.  
"Jus' want'd summit to eat sir. I ain't eaten in 3 days. Jus' want'd some food."  
The man scowled at him. Then lowered him to the floor. His eyes softened as he took in the scarred face, torn rags and thin body.  
"Wait here."  
Jaxn sat against the wall of the house and waited for the man to return. A few minutes later the man came back with a tray of food. Jaxn's jaw dropped in amazement. He'd never seen such food. There was a steaming loaf of bread fresh from the oven, a leg of chicken from the cold house and a glass of milk. The man handed the tray to Jaxn and watched as he wolfed the food down.  
"Hey, "he said taking the loaf away from him. "Don't eat so fast, you'll make yourself sick." Jaxn nodded and continued to eat. In five minutes the food had vanished. The man smiled. He looked at Jaxn and asked,  
"Would you like some clothes?"  
Jaxn looked at him confused.  
"I 'av clothes. "  
"If that's what you want to call them. Wait here lad."  
The servant vanished into the house once again. Jaxn sighed and leant against the wall. Slowly his eyes began to droop and he fell asleep. When he woke the sun was nearly setting. He sat up and saw that the kind servant had left him some clothes. There was a brown shirt with a grey tunic, some brown trews and a pair of black boots. He looked around for the man but he was nowhere to be seen.  
Jaxn sighed.  
"Shudn 'av expected 'im to 'av stayed. Not as if any one ever does."  
He pulled on his new clothes and walked into the street.  
'Time t'find somewhere t'sleep.' He thought to himself. Jaxn looked around and saw a huge building rising above the others. He decided to head for it and look for somewhere to sleep there.  
It took him a while to reach the walls of the large building but when he reached it he saw that it couldn't be just a house. It was enormous. Suddenly he realised that what he was looking at must be a palace of someone. But he had no idea who. Jaxn began to wander around the walls looking for a way in to the gardens as he'd figured that the safest place to be would be inside. Then he spotted a small gap under a hedge that he could just about squeeze through. It took a lot a wriggling and shoving with his boots but eventually he got through. He looked around in amazement. He standing on the edge of the most beautiful place he'd ever seen. It was like a paradise. The setting sun which cast long shadows on the lawns turned the red roses that were around him into a deep crimson.  
He turned round searching for a place to sleep and spotted a small, disused chapel. As he walked towards it he saw that just inside the door there was a small ledge.  
'Perfect' he thought. The light was rapidly fading so he lay down on the ledge and, resting his head on his arm tried to get to sleep. But sleep did not come. For hours he tossed and turned. Suddenly he sat up and thought angrily, 'If only I had a pillow!' He lay back down and jumped up again in wonder. For, there, lying on the ledge where his head had just been was a white, cotton, goose-down filled pillow.  
  
Please read and review! Plzplzplzplzplz *Dari* 


	2. Insanity boy

Jaxn, Chapter 2

After Jaxn had gotten over his initial shock of seeing a pillow randomly appear in front of him, he lay down and tried to go to sleep. But sleep did not come. He spent a restless night tossing and turning. Finally he gave up and just lay on his back staring at the ceiling. As he lay there he tried to figure out what was wrong with him. It felt as though, somehow, a door had been opened in his mind but he couldn't see what was beyond the door. Suddenly there was a gap inside of him that he'd never noticed before that desperately needed to be filled.

He lost track of how long he lay there but slowly the sun began to rise and warm light filtered through the windows to fall across his face. Suddenly a voice sounded in his head that brought him out of his thoughts.

_:Hello Jaxn:_

Jaxn tumbled of his ledge into a heap on the floor. Slowly he got up and looked around him. Poking her head through one of the windows opposite him was a grey horse. 'White' he corrected himself, she was too dazzling to be just grey. Gradually he worked up the courage to walk over to her, when he reached the mare he reached out a shaking hand to stroke her neck all the time avoiding looking into her eyes. He knew that if he did then he'd end up being over his head in something that he would rather not have a part in. The horse snickered and shoved her head into Jaxn's chest; suddenly she lifted her head up and lifted his chin up in the process. Jaxn looked at her, still trying to avoid looking her in the eye but she was quicker. She looked deep into his gray eyes.

_:I love you, and I choose you:_

Jaxn turned and walked back to his makeshift bed.

"Why me?" he asked himself pitifully. "I'm only 13, I'm too young to go insane."

The horse looked over to him.

_:You're very strange for a 13 yr old:_

Jaxn glared at her.

"You don't have to keep doing that, I'm already insane."

He heard the sound of her laughing in his mind.

_:Come on then insanity boy, the least you can do is take me back to my stable:_

Jaxn laughed and walked outside. When he saw her properly his jaw dropped. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and she was in a very formal sort of tack. Blue leather with silver touches and bells. He shook his head. Must have escaped from the royal stables. Jaxn suddenly brightened up a little. Maybe he'd receive a reward for returning her! With that in mind he made his way across to the buildings on the other side of the gardens. As they came nearer to them Jaxn spotted what looked like a huge set of stables next to an enormous paddock. It was so big in fact that he couldn't see the far side of it, and it contained more white horses though not in full tack as the one he was leading was.

_:I have a name boy, Zanterra. I used yours so please have the courtesy to use mine:_ The voice said, breaking through his thoughts. He turned to glare at the animal.

"We've already established that I'm insane so keep the hell out of my head!"

The horse looked at him in surprise.

_:Hmmm, I wonder if this boy is sick in the head to know so little:_

"Oy! That's not fair!" he said in outrage.

The horse bowed its head slightly in acknowledgement.

_:I am sorry youngling. That thought was not meant for your hearing:_

"Oh, and that makes me feel oh so much better."

The horse snickered, but before Jaxn could make a retort they had reached the building. He pushed the door open and led the horse inside. Almost instantly a lad only a few years older than Jaxn was at his side and taking the reins from him.

"That must have been one of the quickest choosing's we've ever had, Zan." He said to the horse laughing. "You only left about an hour ago."

The boy turned to Jaxn.

"You should go and report to the collegium, I'll look after her from here."

Jaxn looked at him in confusion. Zanterra shook her head slightly and shoved the boy out of the way with her head. She walked out of the stable with Jaxn following.

_:What he means dear, is that you should go to that tall white building over there and tell them what's happened. They'll sort you out with your, err, 'reward':_

Jaxn sighed, but started off in the direction of the building.


End file.
